Osman Osman

Osman Osman carries the physical reminders of his time in captivity in Egypt, but he strives to not let the past overshadow his bright future

Born in Eritrea, Osman went to Arabic school while his mother earned an income by making and selling clothes. Things changed when the government stripped his mother of her license, forcing her to close her shop. Osman dropped out of school and worked as a donkey cart driver to help support his family.

Because he often worked close to the border, the government accused Osman of smuggling contraband and tried to arrest him. Fearing for his life, Osman left his mother and moved to Sudan. In Sudan he was kidnapped and brought to Egypt where he was tortured and beaten for forty-five days while his captors attempted to extort a ransom from him.

Thankfully, Osman escaped. He sought help from AMERA and the United Nations after explaining his situation, and they helped him apply for asylum in Fargo, North Dakota. Currently, Osman lives with a foster family and attends Fargo South High School. He hopes to study something related to biology or medicine so he can help people in the future.